Ask the Coaches: Reducing Body Fat

Jan 1, 2001

Q: I am a 48 year old female who has been running 35+ miles per week for a year and a half. I have run two marathons in that time. I also weight train 2 times per week with a trainer and do yoga 1 time per week. I eat well - weigh 113 and am 5" 1". My body fat does not ever get lower than 16% and has gone as high as 18% during that time. With my activity, shouldn't it get lower or is age a primary factor?

A: The first thing you should know is that 16-18% body fat for a woman is healthy. You may not be able to lose more because you are doing the right things and they are resulting in a body composition that is right for you. My personal philosophy for myself and athletes that I work with is to train smart, eat well and live with the result.

Having said that there may be a couple things that can help:

1.) Since you have been running a relatively short time and already have run two marathons you may have been focusing a great deal on the volume of your training. Many athletes find that as they introduce higher intensity workouts both weight and body fat go down. Again do this at a progression that is right for you.

2.) Adding a third weight workout focusing on high repetitions and low weight might help fitness over time. All of this does take time.

One more note. There is no measurement for body fat that is infallible.

These measurements are based on predictive regression equations (you know what they say about statistics. We can make them say anything.) One of the factors that aid in the prediction is age. To figure the predictor they take thousands of 48 year old females and develop norms or standards. Not all of these women run 35 miles per week. Because the sample tested is not completely consistent in many areas error is introduced. When you get a body fat analysis the best you are getting is a guesstimate, whether it is skin folds, underwater weighing, or bio-electrical impedence. We can get a more accurate reading but not while you are alive.

In conclusion ask yourself two questions:

1.) Am I training the best my situation allows?2.) Am I eating as I should for the long term? (You already stated that you were.)

If the answer is yes to both of these then be confident that the result you get is the result you want.

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